Old Video Falsely Viral as Zakir Naik converting people to Islam during 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

Amidst reports of fugitive preacher Zakir Naik present at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a video apparently showing him conducting conversion to Islam on stage is going viral. 

It has been shared with a claim that Zakir Naik converted four people to Islam during the Football World Cup in Qatar. 

Fact Crescendo received the viral video on our WhatsApp Tipline (9049053770) with fact-check requests.

We found that the video is old and not from the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup.

WHAT’S THE CLAIM?

News Tak, a short video news platform by India Today Group, shared the viral video on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook claiming it to be showing Zakir Naik converting four people to Islam during his visit to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Original Post – Instagram | Archive | Twitter | Archive | Facebook

The same video is also viral on Twitter with the same claim. 

Original Post – Twitter | Archive 

FACT-CHECK

A Google reverse image search on key-frames of the viral video revealed that this video is available on the Internet since 2016.

It has been uploaded on a YouTube channel on 27 May 2016. According to the title, the video shows “four people converting to Islam immediately after the end of Zakir Naik’s lecture at Katara”.

Taking a clue from it, we found that Zakir Naik had delivered a lecture on ‘Does God Exist?’ on 26 May 2016 at the Katara amphitheater.

It was organized by Katara Cultural Village Foundation and was attended by over 13 thousand people. 

The lecture was also broadcast live by several local and international TV networks.

Qatar Tribune reported that four people converted to Islam on stage after Naik concluded his lecture.

Aljazeera Mubasher Channel‎ shared the clip of this conversion on their Facebook page.

“Four people declare their conversion to Islam in front of the Islamic preacher Zakir Naik after his lecture ‘Does God Exist?’,” reads the caption. 

Original Post – Facebook

Zakir Naik In Qatar

This year’s FIFA World Cup has already been marred with controversies. From allegations of corruption among FIFA officials to human rights abuse, Qatar World Cup is in news mostly for the wrong reasons. 

As if it was not enough, reports of fugitive preacher Zakir Naik being present in Qatar emerged along with videos showing him there. 

Zakir Naik will reportedly give religious lectures throughout the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. 

“Preacher Sheikh Zakir Naik is present in Qatar during the World Cup and will give many religious lectures throughout the tournament,” Qatari Sports presenter Faisal Alhajri tweeted on Saturday.

Zakir Naik is a wanted fugitive on charges of money laundering and hate speech in India. Home Ministry had declared Zakir Naik-founded Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) an unlawful association and banned it for five years.

He moved to Malaysia after fleeing India in 2016.

CONCLUSION

It is clear that a six year old video is going viral with a false claim. The viral video of four people converting to Islam in the presence of Zakir Naik is not from the recent FIFA Work Cup in Qatar. The said video is from 2016.

(If you also come across any such videos and images you think are falsely viral, send them on our WhatsApp Helpline (9049053770) or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.)